Branding iron



July 1 1, 1950 G. B. ANCELLJII BRANDING IRON Filed March 26. 1947 INVENTOR. George B.Ance]1,lll

BY I W29/ 4 HIS AGENT.

Patented July 11, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I V p 2,514,618 V g BRANDING IRON George B. AncelL III, near Electra, Tex. Application March 26, 1947, Serial No. 737,310

This invention relates to improvements. in branding irons and more particularly to electrically heated branding irons.

. Branding irons have been known and used over a long period of time as a means of branding like stock for purpose of identifying them. It is required by law in some states that each individual owning live stock have a brand and that such brand shall be registered. Therefore, it is entirely possible, that several different brands are required for the live stock running the same range and belonging to one firm or family.

Heretofore, provisions has to be made for heating the irons over an open fire, which was a laborious and time consuming process, particularly in areas where wood is a scarce commodity.

In the present invention, provision is made for heating the branding iron from any convenient source of electricity, such as an ordinary electric outlet connection, a portable generator, or from the battery of a truck or tractor. The branding iron proper is detachably connected to the handle so that different brands may be used, and the change from one to the other may be made quickly and efficiently.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a branding iron that may be electrically heated, and which is weatherproof, light in weight and easy to operate.

Another object of this invention is to provide, in an electrically heated branding iron, a detachable branding unit which is interchangeable with other branding units.

A preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the iron with parts broken away to show details of construction;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the branding head removed from the handle;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the juncture of the handle and the branding iron, showing how the branding head is detachably connected thereto.

With more detailed reference to the drawing, the numeral I designates a handle, which may be of suitable size and shape to be gripped by the hand of the operator. A shield 2 is disposed on the inner end of the handle between said handle and a stem 3, which shield protects the hand of the operator. The stem 3 is attached to the handle I and is hollow, so as to carry elec- 3 Claims (01. 219-40) trical wiresttherethrough. The stem 3 has a socket 5 formed on the lower end thereof, which socket threadably engages stem 3 and retains an insulating electrical receptacle 6 therein. The wires 4 connect to contacts I by screws 8, as will best be seen in Fig. 4. The socket 5 threadably engages the receptacle 8 and stem 3 to hold these in secure relation. An electric switch 9 is positioned adjacent the shield 2 in such position as to be conveniently operated by the hand of the operator, but the shield 2 prevents accidental operation of the switch.

A branding head, generally designated at IU, is'formed so as to be detachably connected with the socket 5 by screw H. The branding head may form any desired symbol, emblem or brand, on the face thereof, the branding element of which is designated at l2, as is shown in Fig. 1. ..This element 12 is formed of metallic tubular construction, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, and has an electric heating element l3 mounted within the center thereof and has electrical insulating material it therearound. The ends of the heating element iii are attached to wires 19 extending through tubes 16 to electrical connector prongs'M, as will best be seen in Fig. 2 and 4, which prongs M are adapted to engage contact members I when the plug i5 is slipped into the socket 5." The plug l5 preferably is constructed of electrical insulating material such as hard rubber or plastic and in which the ends of the tubes it are embedded. The tubes l6 are shown to have flanged ends 11 so as to secure these against relative movement with the plug l5. It is preferable to have a brace element l8 extending from the plug Iii to the branding element ii, in the event that the branding iron is unusually large or unwieldy or for bracing action thereon.

It is to be pointed out that the tube l2 connects with the tubes l6 so as to enclose the heating element l3 in sealed relation; and with the plug l5 molded around the upper ends of the tubes 16 around the wires l9 leading from the heating element 13 to the prongs M, that the electrical heating element and the electrical connections are maintained in weather-proof condition, which will prevent a short circuit therein under unfavorable atmospheric conditions, and which will permit their use in any kind of weather.

It will be appreciated that the heating element 13, of the correct resistance, will give a uniform heat to the tube l2 so as to make possible the quick and eifective branding of the animal, and in this manner the branding element is kept from overheating, which would be detrimental to the apparatus and to the branding operation; the branding element is, however, kept at a sulfioiently high temperature to insure the proper branding of an animal.

It is to be understood that any number of branding head I0 may be made up as required, and that each head is interchangeably connectable to the stem and handle part of the apparatus, as has been fully described hereinbefore. The same insulation, electrical connec-' tion, and bracing maybe used regardless for the form of the branding element.

In the operation of the device, the particular brand head is selected and the plug l 5 slipped into the socket 5 so that the prongs l4"-'-engage contact points 7 so as to form acircuit :through Wires 4 and I9 and heating element [3, which may be of the usual Nichrome alloy. With"-theswitch 9 in position to close the circuit, electricity will flow through'the'circuit thusformed and cause the'heating-element [3 to becom'ehot, which in turn, heats the metallic tube 12 positioned on the ends of tubes I6 and brace l8. Whenthe branding element become isufflciently hot, it is applied to the animal to bebranded in the same manner as if the branding iron were heated by any of the conventional-methods used heretofore.

Having thus described-the invention, what is claimed is: a

1. In an apparatus for branding stock, a-handle, a stem rigidly secured to an end of said handle, a protective'shield positioned on said stem adjacent said handle, a brandin'gzelement detachably secured to an end of said stem opeposite said handle, said detachable branding.- element having anelectrical resistance element sealed therein in water tight -relation'and'in-" sulated therefrom, lead wires passing through tubes and connecting said resistance heating element with a pair of prongs, a dielectric plug closing the ends of saidtubes and surrounding! said prongs so as to form a moistureproof joint;

said joint adapted to interconnect with elec l trical contact elements on the end of said stem, means for connecting said apparatus with a source of electric power.

2. man apparatus for branding-stock;aL-hanclle, a stem attached to said handle, a socket positioned within the end, of said stem and having electrical contacts therein adapted for interengagement with a plug of a, removable heating element, a, plug carrying a removable heating element, which plug has contacts thereon and is adapted to fit within said socket in substantially water tight relation, a tubular element carried by said plug and forming the configuration of a brand, an electrical heatinglelem'ent within said tubular element and electrically insulated therefrom so that said tubular element wil1 be heated by radiation from said electrical heating element. 3; An electnical branding iron comprising a handle having supporting arms projecting from oneend" thereof," a hollow tube of a heat conductingematerialshaped to form a brand, clamping means for connecting said branding tube to said 'h'andle, an electric resistance wire having a coiled portion disposed within said tube and havingliend portions projecting. from the ends thereof, an electric plug mounted in an end of said handle and electrically connected to .the uncoiled ends of said resistance wire and adapted tofbe detachably connected to a source of else the current for energizing the resistance wir'e for=heating said branding tube, said' handle hav-- ing' a recess thereinnor accommodating said electricuplug and abore extending from' said recess1to theopposite-end of said handle to pro videa conduit for an electrical conductor. I GEORGE E. ANCELL, III.

REFERENCES CITED The ioll owing references are of record 'i'nthe file ofthis patent:

N TE-2n STATES PATENTS 

